The Collection A
teenage girl disappears into the clutches of a serial killer known as “The
Collector” in this slasher picture. Rated R, 82 minutes. — The Dallas Morning
News

Killing Them Softly
(**1/2) With sounds and fleeting images in the background of the 2008 financial
crisis and the presidential election campaign, two inept meatballs (Scoot
McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn) hold up a card game. A hit man (Brad Pitt) is called
in to rectify the situation. Later, he calls in another man (James Gandolfini).
This latest film from writer-director Andrew Dominik, based on George V.
Higgins’ novel, has plenty of scenes of two guys talking in cars and bars,
punctuated by bursts of brutal violence. Moderately entertaining,
Tarantino-lite mug fest. Rated R, 97 minutes. — Boo Allen

Starlet (***) A
young woman, Jane (Dree Hemingway), befriends Sadie (Besedka Johnson), an
elderly woman, mainly because Jane feels she cheated Sadie out of some money
she was unaware of. Jane virtually stalks Sadie until the cranky woman finally
opens up, only slightly. Co-writer and director Sean Baker takes the tired
gambit of young and old befriending by throwing in unexpected twists, such as
Jane being a porn star. Engaging cross-cultural examination. Not rated, 103
minutes. At the Magnolia in Dallas. — B.A.

NOW PLAYING

Argo (***1/2) Ben
Affleck directed and takes the lead role in this true story of a CIA operative
who goes to Iran in 1980 posing as the producer of a bogus science-fiction film
in order to extract six Americans hiding in the home of the Canadian
ambassador. Abundant dark humor smoothly combines with frightening sequences
and ample action. With an excellent supporting cast, including John Goodman,
Alan Arkin, Clea DuVall and Tate Donovan. Rated R, 120 minutes. — B.A.

Flight (****) Robert
Zemeckis’ first live-action film since 2000’s Cast Away is
thrilling, engrossing and even darkly funny at times. It’s anchored by a
tremendous performance from Denzel Washington as Whip Whitaker, a veteran
airline pilot and serious alcoholic. Major mechanical failure on a flight to
Atlanta forces him to pull off a daring crash landing, and he’s hailed as a
hero. But the subsequent federal investigation also reveals his rampant
substance abuse. Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood and John Goodman all give strong
supporting performances. Rated R, 135 minutes. — The Associated Press

Life of Pi (**1/2)
Ang Lee directs from Yann Martel’s allegorical novel about a boy, Pi Patel
(Suraj Sharma), who travels with his family from India to Canada. A shipwreck
lands him in a small boat with a group of zoo animals, all quickly reduced to a
tiger. Man and beast coexist, supposedly giving Zen-like life lessons to the
boy, who grows into a man (Irrfan Khan) who tells the story in flashback.
Moderately entertaining pseudo-spiritual diversion with elaborate but not
particularly awe-inspiring special effects. Rated PG, 127 minutes. — B.A.

Lincoln (****) This
is more a wonky, nuts-and-bolts lesson about the way political machinery
operates than a sweeping historical epic that tries to encapsulate the entirety
of the revered 16th president’s life. That was a smart move on the part of
Steven Spielberg and Pulitzer-winning screenwriter Tony Kushner. Talky and
intimate but also surprisingly funny, Lincoln focuses on the final four months
of Abraham Lincoln’s life, and Daniel Day-Lewis inhabits the role fully. With
Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, John Hawkes and David Strathairn. Rated PG-13, 150
minutes. — AP

Pitch Perfect (****)
Cheeky and snarky but with an infectious energy, this comedy set in the world
of competing college a cappella groups makes us fall in love with the very
thing it’s making fun of. It’s ridiculous and predictable but also just a ton
of fun, so you may as well give up and give into your inner musical theater
geek. The debut feature from director Jason Moore (Broadway’s Avenue Q)
and writer Kay Cannon (30 Rock), based
on the nonfiction book by Mickey Rapkin, feels like a mash-up of Glee and Revenge of the Nerds. Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and Hana Mae
Lee. Rated PG-13, 112 minutes. — AP

Red Dawn (*) The
army invading the U.S. in this ill-advised remake of the campy 1984 original
was changed in post-production from Chinese to North Korean. With a few snips
here, a few re-dubs there, the filmmakers re-edited and re-shot, fearful of
offending China. In director Dan Bradley's remake, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson,
Adrianne Palicki and Chris Hemsworth mount an insurrection on the North Koreans
controlling their hometown. The implausibility is dizzying all around. Rated
PG-13, 93 minutes. — AP

The Rise of the Guardians A very odd assortment of mythical childhood figures — the fearsome
team of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack
Frost — are thrown together as an unlikely set of action heroes in DreamWorks
Animation’s attractively designed but overly busy and derivative mishmash of
kid-friendly elements. Based on the book series Guardians of Childhood
by William Joyce, the script plays fast and loose with these legendary fixtures
of childhood. Jack (voiced by Chris Pine) is hard-pressed by a muscular Santa,
known as North (Alec Baldwin), to join in the battle against a diabolical
figure (Jude Law) who threatens to throw Earth into darkness and provide
nightmares to kids everywhere. Rated PG, 97 minutes. — The Hollywood Reporter

Skyfall (***1/2)
Daniel Craig returns as James Bond in the 23rd film based on 007’s exploits.
Britain’s MI6 comes under attack, with M (Judi Dench) as the chief target. Bond
finds and brings back the villain (Javier Bardem), but that just sets the stage
for further action and adventure.
Between the action sequences, director Sam Mendes takes time to build a
personal drama that distinguishes this Bond film from its predecessors. Rated
PG-13, 143 minutes. — B.A.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2 (***1/2) The first four adaptations of Stephenie
Meyer’s mega-best sellers were, for the most part, laughably self-serious affairs
full of mopey teen angst, stilted dialogue and cheesy special effects. Now,
Bill Condon (who also directed Breaking Dawn — Part 1) finally
lets his freak flag fly. His final Twilight
movie dares to have a little fun. Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert
Pattinson) are now married vampires and parents to a daughter (Mackenzie Foy).
With the help of the bloodsucking Cullen clan and vampires from around the
globe, they must band together with Jacob (Taylor Lautner) and his werewolf
buddies to protect the half-human, half-vampire spawn from the evil and
suspicious Volturi. Rated PG-13, 115 minutes. — AP

Wreck-It Ralph
Disney’s new animated film mixes retro eye-candy for grown-ups and a thrilling,
approachable storyline for the tykes. Short-tempered, sledgehammer-fisted bad
guy Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) journeys to Game Central Station, the
gateway to every game in an arcade, to prove he can be a hero. Director Rich
Moore (The Simpsons) ably manipulates the action by tantalizingly
shifting the characters between game worlds. With Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch and
Sarah Silverman Rated PG, 93 minutes. — HR

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